


living together

by orro



Category: Tokyo Ghoul
Genre: Fluff, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-12
Updated: 2015-07-12
Packaged: 2018-04-08 23:42:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,850
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4325352
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orro/pseuds/orro
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Hinami was quiet. It wasn’t even the reading, though that certainly helped; if she were in her room Touka wouldn’t be able to hear the soft turn of the pages or the sound of her pencil as she wrote down words to look up later. </p>
<p>It was fine when Touka was studying. It was startling at other times of the day, like when Touka woke up in the morning and nearly crashed into Hinami, forgetting there was another inhabitant in the house.</p>
            </blockquote>





	living together

Touka hovered around the doorway to Hinami’s room. She kept backing out a step and then moving forward again. Hinami didn’t seem to notice the way Touka kept scuffling at the carpet but Touka was certainly excessively aware of how useless she was being at the moment.

“Do you need help with anything?” Touka asked finally. She could have forced the words back into her mouth as soon as she said them. Hinami had very little with her. When Ryoko had left home she’d taken precious few things with her. Hinami barely had clothes, let alone anything heavier. The books were the most solid possessions she owned. 

“Nope, I’m fine,” Hinami said, rearranging her three books on her nightstand with a serious expression, as if she were organizing dozens rather than a few. “Um. Touka? Could we get a bookshelf? Even a little one! But not if it’s any trouble!” 

Touka blinked and then looked around the bare room. The bed hadn’t even been made yet and it looked pathetic, but most importantly, it already took up most of the room. Hinami could fit a bookshelf in here though it might end up leaving her with no floor space. 

But perhaps that’s what Hinami wanted. 

“We’ll get you a massive one,” Touka promised. She gave Hinami a thumbs up. “I bet Kaneki would love to help carry it in and help you pick one out.” 

Hinami gasped in delight. 

“Do you really think he would?” 

Touka thought of Kaneki lifting a heavy bookcase and something in her heart lightened at the idea. She could almost hear his whining. 

“Oh yeah. He promised, remember? He’ll be happy to help,” Touka said. 

#

Hinami was quiet. It wasn’t even the reading, though that certainly helped; if she were in her room Touka wouldn’t be able to hear the soft turn of the pages or the sound of her pencil as she wrote down words to look up later. 

It was fine when Touka was studying. It was startling at other times of the day, like when Touka woke up in the morning and nearly crashed into Hinami, forgetting there was another inhabitant in the house. 

Even if they were in the same room Hinami would tend to err on the quiet side. Ayato had never been quiet, not even when he had been trying to focus on something. 

“You can talk, you know,” Touka said one day as she lounged on the couch. 

Hinami was curled up on the other piece of furniture, a single person couch, and she blinked in surprise at Touka. 

“What?” 

“You don’t have to do that. Be all quiet and hiding away. Look at you, you’re all curled up.” 

“But I’m reading. I like to sit like this when I read,” Hinami said, still looking more confused than anything else. 

“Oh. Well.” Touka stopped talking, certain that she had not gotten her point across. 

It was a few minute later that Hinami closed her book, pink butterfly bookmark marking her section, and went over to sit by Touka. 

“Can we watch tv?” 

“Sure,” Touka said. 

Hinami stared at the buttons then tentatively pushed the ‘on’ button. The news came on and Hinami quickly switched it away until she settled on something that looked like a drama. 

“Do you have a favorite show, Touka?” Hinami asked. 

“Not really,” Touka said, though she sat up. There was a mention of twins in the story and she was sort of torn between switching away and wondering if they were identical or not. She and Ayato weren’t twins but people had always thought they were for some reason. They didn’t look that alike in Touka’s opinion. She certainly wasn’t that masculine looking. 

Hinami said nothing more but a few minutes into the show she pulled on Touka’s hand. 

“Do you really think that lady could have killed her sister?” she whispered. 

“She looks fishy enough but I think that business guy is way more suspicious,” Touka said. 

“Eh? I thought he was her husband?” 

“I probably got him mixed up with that bank man. Either way, the other guy is a jerk. She should just dump him.” 

Hinami nodded in agreement and leaned forward, knees pulled up still, eyes riveted on the tv. 

Touka didn't say anything as Hinami's head began to droop and bob up and down, let alone when her head head slid onto Touka's shoulder. Touka let the sound of the people's voice wash over her until the ending song played. 

She picked Hinami up and put her into bed. She wondered if this was how Ryoko felt, this sweet tug on her heart as she watched Hinami sleep. Fury at the Doves swept over Touka but Hinami shuffled around to get comfortable and it was replaced. 

Touka had tried to get revenge and not only had it almost cost her life, it had endangered Hinami. 

Maybe Touka wasn't capable of being a mother, and maybe she'd lost the right to be an older sister, but maybe Hinami was also her chance to learn from her mistakes. Maybe she could actually be there for Hinami. 

#

The old man had actually been the one to suggest taking Hinami out shopping. Around the house Hinami could just wear some of Touka’s old stuff and it fit her pretty well, only a bit baggy. And Hinami seemed to really like it. She’d taken the pile of clothes from Touka with a wide and awed expression. 

Later Touka caught her just sitting on the bed, face first in it all, and the only reason Touka hadn’t told her off was because maybe the clothes was warm from the dryer and she had just faceplanted into it. Ayato had liked to do that before, well, before. 

Touka wished she’d just seen it for herself. It was sort of embarrassing to consider herself Hinami’s guardian but not have noticed a little thing like that. If it’d been Ayato she’d have noticed every hole and tear in his clothes. Though back then she really hadn’t been able to do anything about it. 

Now she could and she didn’t even see. She was so blind. But it’d been years since Ayato, when they’d almost been one person, moving in perfect unity, family bonds so close they were mother father daughter son sister brother all in one two bodied entity. 

She never wants to feel that again. Losing it had been like losing Papa, but in a way, worse. As if a part of her had been killed. 

But none of her had been killed. She was here and alive and one step ahead of Hinami, who kept trying to follow behind her instead of walking beside her. No matter how many times she tried to keep her against her side, somehow, Hinami always ended up a little bit behind, as if using Touka as a shield. 

“Is this okay?” Hinami asked, looking around. She’d never been around too many people before. Perhaps it was overwhelming her. 

“Of course it is,” Touka said, pretending that they weren’t both ghouls and thus subject to immediate execution. It’s not like shopping centers had anti ghoul sensors at the doors. If that ever happened. 

Touka pushed the thought out of her mind. Only the CCG had them and Touka had really had no business being there that day. But she’d done it all for Hinami. (And yourself. You wanted revenge too and Hinami was a good cover.)

“But what if…” Hinami looked around again, eyes darting about. 

Touka took her hand and squeezed it tight. 

“I’ll protect you,” she promised. 

hinami looked up at her and smiled widely and Touka realized it was the first time she’d made that promise out loud to her. It’d been in her head and heart for so long she just assumed that Hiami knew. But she was still a child. 

Ayato had known. And he’d left her. She would have died for him, killed for him, but her little brother had left her all the same. 

“I guess we need to get you everything. The old man gave me some money but I feel sort of weird taking it,” Touka said. Then again, technically her paycheck was because of the old man too, so it was like it was always his money. She frowned a little to herself, not liking the idea but pushing it out of her mind to focus on Hinami. 

"I don't need much," Hinami said but then they passed by a bookstore and Touka nearly tripped as Hinami froze in place. 

"Hinami." 

"Maybe I could get a book on sale?" Hinami said, with a sweet smile, and Touka pulled on her hand to drag her along. That was a dangerous smile. 

"Clothes, Hinami. We need clothes. You can't have piles of books and no clothes. You and Kaneki, I swear. you'd be naked if it meant having more books." 

Hinami giggled a little at the idea but Touka was serious. 

#

“Can you help me, Touka?” Hinami asked, holding her book out and showing her all the notes she’d taken. 

Touka blinked at it, wondering how much Hinami had just written today. Hinami did have a lot of time to herself after all. Touka did her learning at school. Maybe Hinami had done the same thing during the day. 

“Help you how?” 

“Um. Explaining the words. Kaneki says you’re doing really good in school. You might know them just looking from them. It always takes so long to look them up from the book even though everyone says that’s the best way. But I really want to reread the chapters once I understand more of the words. I feel like it was very interesting what I read, but I just-” Hinami stopped, clenching her book, frustrated. 

Touka’s heart ached; she could remember the feeling. For so long she had just watched children go to school ,wishing she could go along, and that had ultimately caused her final rift with Ayato. He’d seen no need for blending in amongst humans. 

But going to school and meeting Yoriko and becoming friends, best friends with so many other classmates and acquaintances, was worth all of the trouble. But now that Hinami was wanted by the CCG and they had some information on her, it was too great of a risk. She probably wouldn’t ever be able to go to school and learn like Touka could. 

“Here,” Touka said, pushing her own school work aside. She could do it later, or even miss it altogether. One night would be okay if she could just focus on Hinami. Hinami deserved so much more. “Let’s switch words so we can get through it faster, okay? Then we can read your book together.” 

Hinami lit up and together they sat beside one another, looking up words. 

#

“Do you think I should learn to fight, Touka?” Hinami asked. She was drinking coffee at the bar, happily, having just eaten for the first time in three weeks. 

They hadn’t opened yet so Hinami could sit out here without anyone needing to worry. [Ape guy] was getting the rest of the chairs out since Wednesdays seemed to be more full.

Touka shook her head. Hinami didn’t need to get dragged into that world. She was a ghoul but she could live without having to see a battle again. 

“It’s not that great,” Touka lied, and by the way Hinami stared at her, she could tell it wasn’t her best. “You get hurt and it’s dangerous.” 

“Oh.” Hinami turned her eyes back to her coffee and said nothing more. 

"The 20th district is really safe anyway! We don't' usually get that much trouble so plenty of ghouls can go their whole lives without needing to fight," Touka said, forcing her voice to sound bright. 

Hinami stared at her then nodded and went back to drinking her coffee. 

#

Hinami tentatively snapped the lid closed on the powders and held out the mirror for Touka to see herself. Touka laughed at the disaster on her face. 

“I look like a clown!” she said, rolling around. 

Hinami pouted a little. 

“it’s my first time putting make up on someone, Touka! Don’t be mean!” But her pout only lasted a moment. She too began to laugh. 

Touka had to struggle not to cry because it would ruin all of Hinami’s hard work. The makeup was caked on her face but she would just moisturize tonight and it’d probably be okay. It was worth it to see Hinami looking so happy. 

“Okay, my turn,” Touka said with a wicked gleam in her eyes. 

Hinami squeaked, and covered her face with her hands. 

“No! You’re going to get revenge!” 

“I won’t,” Touka said but she had an evil note to her voice and Hinami could hear it. Touka laughed and spoke softly. “I won’t, Hinami. I promise.” 

Hinami peeked through her fingers then nodded and dropped her hands. 

Touka axed doing the whole foundation and settled for a little bit of concealer to highlight. 

Touka gently stretched Hinami's eyelid so she could apply the eyeliner, drawing a little wing on the edge. Hinami's eye twitched at the strange sensation but Touka made sure that her hands were steady so that Hinami didn't jump or anything.

"Okay, you can look for a bit," Touka said then turned to dig out her color palettes and Hinami opened her eyes and stared into the mirror. For a moment she said nothing.

“Who taught you how to do this?” Hinami said, though she was more enchanted by the way she looked than getting an actual answer.

“A friend,” Touka said, remembering how Yoriko had squawked in outrage when Touka had given her a confused look as Yoriko went on about mascara and eyeliners. Yoriko had gifted her a set of basic supplies and then they’d spent a day or so teaching Touka the basics like putting on eyeliner and how to wear blush. 

Even today Touka didn’t do much with it but it was nice to know how to put it on. And it was an easy little gift to get for one another, though by now Yoriko and Touka had their favorite brands. 

Hinami opened an eye and Touka touched her eyebrow so she could close it so that Touka wouldn’t stab her in the eye. 

“That sounds nice,” Hinami said quietly. 

Touka hesitated. She was Hinami’s friend but it wasn’t the same. Yorkio was someone she had chosen and they were friends because they liked one another. She and Hinami were ghouls. They had to stick together. 

“She’s great,” Touka said as she blended the colors together. "But she can be annoying too. She always thinks that Kaneki is my boyfriend! It's horrible!"

"You don't like Kaneki?" Hinami asked, frowning a little. 

"He's not my boyfriend," Touka said, thinking back to the last time Yorkio had assumed it. "I'd date someone taller. And with more muscles. And he'd be way cooler." 

"Kaneki is cool," Hinami said. 

"He's a dork." 

Hinami laughed at that one. Touka capped the colors and smiled. 

"Okay, now it's time for nail polish!"

#

A noise woke Touka up and she bolted, senses and instinct telling her it wasn't any enemy. But it was still unnerving to be woken up in the middle of the night. 

Her mind caught up a few moments later and she realized it was Hinami at her bedside.

“What’s wrong?” Touka asked, rubbing at her eyes. She blearily looked at the clock; it was half past two in the morning. 

Hinami shuffled around a little. She had her own pajamas, cute ones, but they hadn’t washed them and she was in a huge oversized t-shirt that covered her shorts and made her look smaller than she actually was. 

“I can’t sleep,” Hinami said and Touka felt sure it was a lie. Maybe she didn’t want to admit to nightmares. Sometimes Touka didn’t want to admit them even to herself. 

Touka yawned but her mind was hazy and still mostly asleep. 

“You think you can go back to sleep?” 

Hinami shook her head. 

“Can I sleep with you?” Hinami asked, looking away as she asked. 

Touka blinked then shrugged and patted her bed. It was really too small for two people but Hinami was small. And Touka was tired. Hinami climbed in, carefully, as if the bed would have reached out and eaten her if she touched it wrong. 

She pulled the covers over them and curled up in Touka’s open arm. Touka squeezed her a little, hinami cuddling up as much as she could. 

“Night,” Touka said, closing her eyes and ready to fall back asleep. 

Hinami didn’t say anything back but Touka could feel how her heart was already calming down and her breathing was as well. Touka smiled and pressed a kiss to Hinami’s head. She’d be alright. A few minutes later she fell asleep. 

In the morning Touka woke up to Hinami snoring in her ear. Touka chuckled and carefully slid out of bed to start getting ready for school.


End file.
